Cullen has been in charge at Widnes since March 2009

Widnes coach Paul Cullen admits the turn around of players in the off-season is important if the Vikings are to be successful in the future.

Cullen says releasing a dozen or more players will help the team overall.

"You can't have players at your club who don't want to be there," he told BBC Radio Merseyside.

"We had far too many people who were not 100% committed to the Widnes cause and if that's the case I have to do something about it."

"We won't get it completely right I'm sure," Cullen continued. "There are players going to leave the club that I don't want to leave.

If we're not getting full value, as a coach it's my responsibility to do something about it Widnes coach Paul Cullen

"But the bottom line is, if they're constantly complaining about the travel situation or the fact that they are going to be offered more money from other clubs, the best thing for those players is to be playing elsewhere.

"One of the key issues with any kind of coaching structure is you've got to go in with as little baggage as possible. At some point during the pressures of the rugby season you'll get weighed down and you'll get caught out."

The scale of the clear-out at the Stobart Stadium is one that Cullen is having to come to terms with, as he had many players who were on the fringes of the first team.

Cullen added: "We're going to release 13 or 14 players, which is an awful lot when you think Widnes used 33 players last year.

"There is about seven or eight of those players who haven't played three games plus. So we carried some baggage.

"So if we're not getting full value, as a coach it's my responsibility to do something about it."

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